Top State Energy Official To Discuss How Biking, Walking Can Reduce Oil Demand

NEW BRITAIN — — With transportation accounting for about a third of Connecticut's annual energy consumption, the state government proposes to further encourage pedestrian and bicycle travel.

The new draft of a broad-ranging energy policy also recommends building a network of charging stations for electric cars, and encouraging conversion of public and private vehicle fleets — garbage trucks, taxicabs, delivery vans — to natural gas.

Daniel Esty, commissioner of energy and environmental protection, will talk about his vision for the future of bikeways and walking paths when Bike Walk Connecticut convenes its annual meeting Nov. 29 at Central Connecticut State University.

Bike Walk Connecticut, a non-profit organization founded in 2005, advocates better and safer facilities for biking and walking. It promotes "active transportation" as a way to benefit the environment, commuters' health, and statewide energy conservation.

Connecticut transportation planners in recent years have moved closer to a "complete streets" philosophy that makes highway construction or redesign more than simply paving lanes for motorized vehicles. Instead, they have begun engineering more roads to incorporate bike lanes, sidewalks, crosswalks and similar features for pedestrians and cyclists.

Bike Walk Connecticut invited Esty to speak about that component of the newly released draft of his agency's 2012 Connecticut Comprehensive Energy Strategy report. The transportation section says the state should do more to encourage widespread use of alternative-fuel vehicles and mass transit. It concludes that taking a "complete streets" approach to Connecticut's state roads will lead to energy conservation as well as better mobility for residents.

Bike Walk Connecticut has been lobbying the General Assembly for "complete streets" legislation that would require state-funded road projects to set aside money for pedestrian and bike travel. In the coming year it plans to push legislation to raise penalties for negligent drivers who hit bike riders or pedestrians. The organization also plans to lobby the state to adopt a Share the Road education campaign for drivers.

Esty will speak at the organization's annual dinner and silent auction at CCSU's Memorial Hall at 1615 Stanley St. The event is scheduled for 5:30 to 9 p.m., and tickets are available through http://www.bikewalkct.org.